While it is well documented the Chinese were the 1st to use black powder in fireworks and then fire lances, Ian McCollum of the awesome YouTube video channel 'Forgotten Weapons' has been collaborating with Dr. Jackson Crawford, a researcher and leading expert in Norse history, language and lifestyle, etc. in a scientific strudy. The Dr. has found text in the early Norse poems containing the legend of "The Saga of Frederick 'Four' Fingers” in Iceland, that they believe detail the discovery of black powdah in Iceland between the 9th and 11th centuries, independent of the Chinese discovery. [Most interestingly, the Icelanders were quite prolific in writing down anything they could once they learned to write, being one of the 1st cultures to completely write, versus just the use of hyrogliphics. Their culture has a long history of passing down history from their past.]
Now ... are there any guesses for why the alleged inventor or discoverer might only have '4 fingers' left?????? Yes ... an accidental discharge, e.g.., KaBOOM, that is chronicled in the saga.
The alleged BP arm is called an atgeir or atgeirr, sometimes called a "mail-piercer" or "hewing-spear", which originally was a type of polearm [or halberd] in use in Viking Age Scandinavia and Norse colonies in both the British Isles and Iceland. The word is related to the Old Norse geirr, meaning spear. In some readings I've read to accompany this discovery it was called a 'fire lance', but to me it looks all the world like an early 'hand gonne', just a barrel strapped to a stock. I also read where historically it were cannons that were the 1st weapons to sieze the use of black powder for projectiles, but it was also interesting that they've learned that the Norse had no use for such siege weapons.
Anyways, here is but a capsule of what Ian has to say about it ... along with a picture of the atgeirr he had built and fired, along with a picture from one of the actual sages showing one in use. I added key emphasis that I thought was cool!
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" ... I was privileged to be part of an original research project in collaboration with Dr. Jackson Crawford studying the early medieval origins of firearms in Europe. Studying manuscripts in the National Museum of Iceland, Dr. Crawford unearthed records of events that point to the accidental discovery of gunpowder during the Settlement Period on Iceland. Further study has revealed that the “atgeirr” references in some Icelandic sagas is, in fact, a long-forgotten early firearm. Consider, from Njal’s Saga:
“Hallgrímr had an atgeirr which he had ordered enchanted with dark magic, so that no weapon could kill him except for it. The enchantment also caused men to know right away when the weapon was used to kill someone, because the weapon would sing before it killed, so that it was heard far away. This was the great magic in the weapon.”
With the help of two craftsmen I recreated what we believe an atgeirr would have looked like, and took it out to the range. Lo and behold, it worked even better than we could have anticipated! It was truly an honor to be a part of this groundbreaking research."
For further info, please look up: "Viking Atgeirr: Reevaluating the Origins of European Firearms". Pretty amazing, huh?
Now ... are there any guesses for why the alleged inventor or discoverer might only have '4 fingers' left?????? Yes ... an accidental discharge, e.g.., KaBOOM, that is chronicled in the saga.
The alleged BP arm is called an atgeir or atgeirr, sometimes called a "mail-piercer" or "hewing-spear", which originally was a type of polearm [or halberd] in use in Viking Age Scandinavia and Norse colonies in both the British Isles and Iceland. The word is related to the Old Norse geirr, meaning spear. In some readings I've read to accompany this discovery it was called a 'fire lance', but to me it looks all the world like an early 'hand gonne', just a barrel strapped to a stock. I also read where historically it were cannons that were the 1st weapons to sieze the use of black powder for projectiles, but it was also interesting that they've learned that the Norse had no use for such siege weapons.
Anyways, here is but a capsule of what Ian has to say about it ... along with a picture of the atgeirr he had built and fired, along with a picture from one of the actual sages showing one in use. I added key emphasis that I thought was cool!
____________________________________________________________________________________
" ... I was privileged to be part of an original research project in collaboration with Dr. Jackson Crawford studying the early medieval origins of firearms in Europe. Studying manuscripts in the National Museum of Iceland, Dr. Crawford unearthed records of events that point to the accidental discovery of gunpowder during the Settlement Period on Iceland. Further study has revealed that the “atgeirr” references in some Icelandic sagas is, in fact, a long-forgotten early firearm. Consider, from Njal’s Saga:
“Hallgrímr had an atgeirr which he had ordered enchanted with dark magic, so that no weapon could kill him except for it. The enchantment also caused men to know right away when the weapon was used to kill someone, because the weapon would sing before it killed, so that it was heard far away. This was the great magic in the weapon.”
With the help of two craftsmen I recreated what we believe an atgeirr would have looked like, and took it out to the range. Lo and behold, it worked even better than we could have anticipated! It was truly an honor to be a part of this groundbreaking research."
For further info, please look up: "Viking Atgeirr: Reevaluating the Origins of European Firearms". Pretty amazing, huh?
(this should have set off warning bells immediately)
